Hand-hole cover.



E. J. OLBARY.

HAND HOLE COVER.

VAPPLIOATION FILED 0011.24, 1910.

1,006,263., Patented 001. 17,1911.

z I; (I I t v A,- g i M 4 wwnzsszw V lnvsrrrow a ag E uwARoJD'L EARY [75 /////////1 HIS ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD J. OLEARY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO RISDON IRON AND LOCOMOTIVE WORKS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

HAND-HOLE COVER.

Patented Oct. 17, 1911.

Application filed October 24, 1910. Serial No. 588,625.

for closing hand-holes and the like in boilers,

and particularly pertains to improvements thereln.

It is the object of this invention to provide a hand-hole plate which is free from seams or joints on its inner face so as to prevent possible leakage at the juncture of the plate and stem.

Another object is to provide a hand-hole plate which is strong, durable, light in weight, simple in construction, and of few parts, and which may be readily removed and applied.

A further object is to provide a hand-hole plate which is particularly adapted to be formed of steel by the drop-forge process.

The invention consists of the parts and construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, 1n which Figure 1 is a vertical section of the invention as applied. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the guard illustrating the manner of applying the invention to a hand-hole. Fig. 3 is a v1ew in elevation of the head portion of the stem. Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the method of manufacture. Fig. 5 is a section on X-X, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the head portion of the same.

In the drawings, A, represents my improved hand-hole plate or cover which is preferably made of soft steel and formed with a bead flange 2 on its inner face which flange is adaptedto extend into and fit snug with the side walls of hole 3 in the boiler head 4. The plate A is provided with a stem 5 by a drop-forge process as will be later described; the stem 5 extending centrally at right angles to the inner face of the plate A so as to project some distance through the hole 3 and beyond the inner wall of the plate 4 to permit the cover plate A to be secured in place as follows :The outer extended portion of the stem 5 is threaded at 6 to re-' ceive a nut 7, the stem 5 being formed of mild steel suitable for threading. A cap or washer 8 fits over the stem and seats around and covers the hole 3, the nut screwing down on this washer and serving to draw the cover plate A tight against the boiler head" and form a tight joint.

The important feature ofthe invention is the way in which the stem is secured to the plate A. Oppositely disposed indentations 9 are formed on the stem 5 at a point near its inner end, to provide grooves or channels on each side of the stem into which is forged a portion of the flange steel plate A. The grooves or channels 9 areformed by pressure or stamping, which squeezes the displaced metal outward to produce the narrower shoulders or ridges 9 on the sides of stem 5 between the ends of the indentations or grooves 9: see Figs. 35 This feature of construction is important inasmuch as the sectional area of the stem 5 (see Fig. 5) at this point will remain equal to the cylindrical part of the stem, thus retaining the full tensile strength of the stem 5 throughout its length and not weakening the stem as would be the case were the grooves 9 formed by cutting away and removing the metal. The end of the stem 5 adjacent the grooves 9 is-flared outwardlyto form a conical or wedge-shaped head 10.

The hand-hole plate A is formed upon the stem 5 in the following manner :The stem 5, previously shaped with the grooves 9 and shoulders 9 and head 10 as above described, is inserted in a centrally disposed bore in a suitable die 11, as shown in Fig. 4:, the grooves 9, shoulders 9' and head 10 proj ecting above the upper face of the die. The die 11 is mounted in a mold-casing 12 and both are supported upon an anvil 13. The

metal of which the plate A is to be made,

preferably soft steel, formed in a plain sheet blank as shown at 14, having approximately the cubic content ofthe completed plate A, is heated to a white heat and placed in the mold 12 on top of the pin 5, as shown. A stamp 15 is then inserted in the mold casing 12 above the heated metal blank 14: and is subjected to several heavy blows from a forge-hammer which drives the stamp upon the blank 14 and forces the hot metal around the head of the stem 5 and into the recesses 9 and under the shoulders 9, in close contact therewith. The underside of the stamp 15 is so recessed at 16 as to form\a thickness of metal completely around and over the end ofthe stem- 5, and the die 11 is ooved at 16 on its upper face to form the ange 2 on the inner face of the completed plate A. 'Theplate A and its stem 5 after being removed ,from the die and mold are lunged into water which cools the heated piste and shrinks it tightly upon the stem 5, the latter being cold whenplaced in the die 11.

In the application of the invention, the

I hand-hole plate A is placed over the hole 3 with the flange 2 projecting therein, a gasket 17 of any suitable description being inserted between the inner face of the plate A outside the flange 2 and the plate 4 adjacent the opening 3. The dish-shaped washer 8 which is preferably formed of drop-forged or loosening the nut 7, a transverse slot 18 is.

formed in the end of the stem 5 in which a tool 19 of any suitable description may be inserted as shown in Fig. 2, by which the stem 5 may be held rigid against turning.

1 i The plate A may be shaped to conform to hand-holes of any form such for example sired size.

as round and oval, and may be of any de- By the foregoing construction it will be seen that the fullmg of the stem to produce the grooves 9 and shoulders 9 forms an expanded headfor the bolt and the cross sectional area of the bolt is not reduced at i any point in its length. Then, by swaging the plate on to the stem and expanding the 'material of the plate into the grooves and around the shoulders completely surrounds the head and produces a plate of maximum ,strength and efliciency.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A hand-hole plate with a cylindrical stem rigidly mounted therein, said stem havng opposed indentations formed near its inner end, ridges on the stem between the ends of the indentations, the sectional area of the stem through the indentations and ridges being substantially equal that of the cylindrical portion of the stem, and a frusto- "conoidal head on the stem adjacent said indentations and ridges.

2. A hand-hole plate with a cylindrical. stem rigidly mounted therein, said stem having opposed indentations formed near its inner end, ridges on the stem between the ends of the indentations, the sectional area of the stem through the indentations and ridges being substantially equal that of the cyl ndrical portion of the stem, and a frustoconoidal head on the stem adjacent said indentations and ridges, said hand-hole plate having a'recess formed therein adapted to receive the head and the metal of the plate surrounding said recess adapted to be em--.

bedded around said head, indentations and ridges. I p

3. A hand-hole plate with a cylindrical stem rigidly mounted therein, said stem having opposed indentations formed near its inner end, ridges on the stem between the ends of the indentations, the sectional area of the stem'through the indentations and ridges being substantially equal that of the cylindrical portion of the stem, and a frustoconoidal head on the stem adjacent said indentations and ridges, screwthreads on the outer end of the stem to receive a nut, and means on the outer end of the stem for holding the latter to prevent its turning when the nut is being screwed on.

4-. A hand-hole plate with a cylindrical stem rigidly mounted therein, said stem having opposed indentations formed near its inner end, rid son the stem between the ends of the indentations, the sectional area of the stem through the indentations and ridges being substantially equal that of the cylindrical portion of the stem, and a frustoconoidal head on the stem adjacent said indentations and ridges, screw threads on the outer end of the stem, to receive a nut, and 100 means on the outer end of the stem for holding the latter to prevent its turning when the nut is being screwed on, said hand-hole plate having a recess formed therein adapted to receive the head and the metal of the plate 105 surrounding said recess adapted to be embedded around said head, indentations and ridges.

. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing 110 wltnesses.

EDWARD J. OLEARY.

Witnesses J 1 I CHARLES EDELM N, A. P. La'rmzor. 

